Vent structure for covered hopper railway cars



June 20, 1967 s. STEVENS VENT STRUCTURE FOR COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1965 FIG. I.

INVENTOR.

ERIC 8. STEVENS BY ATTORNEY June 20, 1967 E. s. STEVENS VENT STRUCTURE FOR COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1965 FIG. 2.

FIG. 5.

June 20, 1967 s. STEVENS VENT STRUCTURE FOR COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1965 FIG. 7.

United States Fatent ()fiice 3,326,111 Patented June 20, 1967 3,326,111 VENT STRUCTURE FUR CGVERED HQPPER RAILWAY CARS Eric S. Stevens, St. (Zharles, Mo assignor to AEF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 507958 7 Claims. (Cl. 98--6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vent structure for an enclosed railway car to permit a flow of air into the interior of the car. A removable filter structure is easily positioned and removed from the open end of a housing forming the vent structure.

Background and description of the invention Covered hopper railway cars which are unloaded pneumatically are usually unloaded from bottom hopper structures. The lading, which is usually comprised of pulverulent or particulate material, is drawn from the bottom hopper structure by a vacuum created by a pressure differential between the lading discharge conduit and the interior of the bottom outlet structure. When the hatch covers are closed and the lading is removed pneumatically from the interior of the car, a vacuum or negative pressure is created within the car which might possibly result in structural damage to the car, such as a partial collapsing of the sides of the car. The present invention provides means to permit the entry of air within the car when such a vacuum condition exists.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vent structure to permit a flow of air into a covered hopper car when a covered hopper car is unloaded pneumatically while the hatch covers remain closed.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such a vent structure which prevents the exit of air and entrained lading from the hopper car through the vent structure.

A further object of the inveniton is the provision of such a vent structure in which a replaceable filter is positioned which may be easily inserted and removed.

Briefly described, the invention comprises a hood removably secured to an end bulkhead of a covered hopper railway car and having an open bottom exposed to atmosphere and communicating with an opening in the bulkhead, a removable filter positioned within the hood adjacent the open bottom to filter air drawn in the open bottom, and valve means adjacent the opening in the bulkhead to prevent the exit of air from the covered hopper car.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a covered hopper railway car illustrating the vent structure comprising the present invention mounted on an end bulkhead;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the vent structure of FIGURE 1 in position on the end bulkhead of the covered hopper railway car;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and showing the filter structure in position within the hood or housing of the vent structure;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged rear elevation of the vent structure of FIGURE 1 shown removed from the end bulkhead of the covered hopper railway car;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken generally along line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a plan of the filter frame for supporting the filter; and

FIGURE 7 is an elevation of the filter frame shown in FIGURE 6.

Corresponding reference characters represent corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understandin g of the invention, a covered hopper railway car is indicated generally at 10 and includes a hopper 12 between slope sheets 14 and side sheets 16. An intermediate bulkhead 18 and an end bulkhead 20 are positioned adjacent slope sheets 14 to form the ends of hopper 12. Hatch covers 22 permit hopper 12 to be loaded with lading.

A bottom outlet structure indicated generally at 24 is secured beneath hopper 12 and has a pneumatic discharge conduit 26. Discharge conduit 26 may, for example, be a rotatable tube adapted to be connected to an air source (not shown) for the pneumatic discharge of particles from hopper 12 into a suitable storage facility. Tube 26 has a longitudinally extending slot and when a vacuum is exerted on the particles within bottom outlet structure 24, the tube may be rotated to permit the entry of particles through the slot for pneumatic discharge. As the particles are drawn from discharge outlet 24 and hopper 12, a vacuum is created within hopper 12 if hatch covers 22 are not opened to permit entry of air, thereby creating H a pressure differential between the interior of car 10 and atmosphere. When such a vacuum condition exists, possible damage may result to the sides and bulkheads of railway car Iii, such as the folding-in of the sides of bulkheads.

The present invention comprising a vent structure 28 is positioned on end bulkhead 20 and may be placed on existing covered hopper cars as Well as new cars. The only changes or modifications in car 10 necessary for the attachment of vent structure 28 are the cutting of an elongate slit or opening 30 in bulkhead 20 and the welding of a clip 32 on the outer face of bulkhead 20 to retain the vent structure 28 in position as shown in FIGURE 3.

Vent structure 28 comprises a hood-shaped housing 34 with an open bottom 36. Housing 34 includes a generally fiat base 38 disposed in face-to-face contact with the outer face of end bulkhead 2t) and having an elongate opening 40. Positioned adjacent the upper and lower sides of opening 40 are inwardly projecting flanges 42. Each flange 42 has an outer groove 44 defined by an outwardly extending lip 46 adapted to snap over the adjacent edge of bulkhead 20 to hold the vent structure in position. A soft rubber seal or gasket 48 is positioned within groove 44 and provides a tight seal between bulkhead 20 and vent structure 28. An outer circumferential rim 50 aids in retaining seal 48 in position. To aid in initially positioning vent structure 28 properly, a projecting stud 52 adjacent each end of elongate opening 40 is adapted to fit against the adjacent edge of end bulkhead 20 defining opening 30.

A flap 54 is hinged to base 38 along spaced hinge lines 56 thereby permitting fla-p 54 to act as a check valve to permit entry of air into the interior of car but preventing any exit of air and lading from car 10 as will be explained. Extending from the inner surface of base 38 are spaced ribs 58 tapering downwardly from opening 4-9. Secured to base 38 and forming an integral part of hood 34 is outer housing 60. Spaced ribs 62 extend inwardly from the inner surface of housing 6t). A central rib 64 on housing 60 extends upwardly beyond ribs 62 and is disposed in abutting contact with flap 54. Rib 64 thus provides a stop for flap 54 and prevents flap 54 from swinging outwardly such as might occur when a positive pressure develops within the interior of car 10.

To filter air being drawn in hopper 12, a filter structure generally indicated 66 is removably positioned within housing 34 and includes a filter frame 68 and a filter 70 supported on frame 68. Frame 68 is preferably formed of a plastic material, such as polyethylene, and has perforations 72 as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. Hinges 74 permit frame 68 to be folded into a general V-shape with lips 76 on one end edge of frame 68 adapted to fit and to be locked within complementary sockets 78. Filter 70 may be formed of any suitable material, such as a polyurethane foam material, and is positioned housing 34 between frame 68 and ribs 58, 62, 64 as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 5.

To hold filter structure in position within housing 34, a lug 80 adjacent each side of frame 68 has an opening 82 receiving a locking pin 84. Suitable openings in the adjacent sides of housing 34 are aligned with openings 82 and receive pin 84 as shown in FIGURE 2. A cotter key 86 permits the releasable locking of pin 84. A ledge 88 on base 38 and outer housing 60 provides a support for the lower edge of filter 70 as shown in FIGURE 3.

When a negative pressure or vacuum exists within hopper 12 as might occur during pneumatic unloading with hatch covers 22 closed, flap 54 is swung inwardly to the broken line indication thereof in FIGURE 3 and air is drawn in from bottom 36 through filter structure 66. When pressure within the car returns to atmospheric pressure, fiap 54 returns to closed position in abutting contact with the adjacent end of rib 64. Upon pressure within hopper 12 exceeding atmospheric, flap 54 will remain in closed position.

While housing 34 has been indicated as an integral structure, it is to be understood that base 38 and outer housing 60 could be formed separately and then interlocked to each other to form housing 34. Housing 34 may be formed of any suitable material, such as polyethylene. Flanges 42 are preferably formed of a resilient material since flanges 42 snap in position over an adjacent edge of bulkhead 20.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a covered hopper railway car having a plurality of connected sheets and an opening in one of said sheets communicating with the interior of the car, a vacuum relief device adjacent said sheet opening to permit entry of air into the car when a suba-tmospheric pressure exists within the car, said device comprising an open-ended hood on the outer surface of said one sheet fitting about the sheet opening and forming an enclosure about said opening, said hood having an opening therethrough aligned with the sheet opening and disposed immediately adjacent said sheet opening, the interior of the car being exposed to atmosphere through the open end of said hood and said adjacent aligned openings, a removable filter structure positioned within said hood adjacent said open end to filter air drawn in said open end when a subatmospheric pressure exists within the car, said filter structure having a generally V-shaped support and a filter mounted on the support, said support being perforated to permit a flow of air from the open end of the hood, the sides of the support being movable toward and away from each other about a hinge formed at the apex of the V-shaped support, and a plurality of ribs on the interior of said hood to guide the filter structure in position within the hood and to engage the filter for holding the filter in position.

2. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 1, said hood having a flange adjacent the hood opening projecting inwardly through the aligned sheet opening and releasably engaging the inner surface of said one sheet for retaining the vacuum relief device in position on the outer surface of said sheet.

3. In a covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 1, a flap on said hood mounted within the hood opening for hinged movement outwardly of the hood from a closed position to an open position when a subatmospheric pressure exists within the car thereby to permit entry of air, and means restraining movement of the flap inwardly of the hood when a superatmos-pheric pressure exists within the car thereby to prevent the exit of lading from the car through the sheet opening.

4. A vacuum relief structure adapted to fit about an opening in the bulkhead or the like of a covered hopper railway car, said vacuum relief structure comprising a hood-shaped housing having a generally flat base adapted to fit in face-to-face contact with the bulkhead and an open end adjacent an end of said base, said base having an opening therein adapted to be aligned with the bulkhead opening, filter structure insertable within said open end and removably positioned within the hood-shaped housing adjacent the open end of the housing for filtering air drawn in the open end, said filter structure comprising a filter support and a filter mounted on the support, the support being perforated to permit a flow of air from the open end of the housing, and means on said housing to releasably hold the filter structure in position after being inserted within said open end.

5. A vacuum relief device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said base includes a flap mounted within said base opening for hinged movement in a direction outwardly of the housing from a closed position to an open position relative to said base opening, and means restraining movement of said flap in a direction inwardly of the housing from closed position.

6. In a covered hopper car having an end bulkhead with an opening therethrough, a vent structure communicating with said opening, said vent structure comprising a hood-shaped housing having a generally fiat vertical base in face-to-face contact with said bulkhead and an open bottom adjacent the lower end of said base, said base having a lateral opening adjacent its upper end aligned with the bulkhead opening, a filter structure removably positioned within the hood-shaped housing adjacent the open bottom thereof, said filter structure comprising a perforated filter support having opposed sides forming a generally V-shape and a filter material covering the opposed sides of the filter support, and a plurality of tapered ribs on the interior of said housing adjacent the open bottom thereof to engage the filter material for guiding and holding the filter structure in position.

7. A vacuum relief structure adapted to fit about an opening in the bulkhead or the like of a covered hopper railway car, said vacuum relief structure comprising a hood-shaped housing having a generally fiat base adapted to fit in face-to-face contact with the bulkhead and an open end adjacent an end of said base, said base having an opening therein adapted to be aligned with the bulkhead opening, a removable filter structure positioned within the hood-shaped housing adjacent the open end of the housing for filtering air drawn in the open end, said filter structure comprising a generally V-shaped support and a filter mounted on the support, said support being perforated to permit a flow of air from the open end of the housing, the sides of the filter support being movable toward and away from each other about a hinge formed at the apex of the V-shaped support, and a plurality of ribs on the interior of said housing to guide the filter structure in position Within the housing and to engage the filter for holding the filter in position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,363 1/1944 Strobell 986 3,092,007 6/1963 Boyd 98-6 3,194,144 7/1965 Linden 986 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CAR HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONNECTED SHEETS AND AN OPENING IN ONE OF SAID SHEETS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, A VACUUM RELIEF DEVICE ADJACENT SAID SHEET OPENING TO PERMIT ENTRY OF AIR INTO THE CAR WHEN A SUBATMOSHPERIC PRESSURE EXISTS WITHIN THE CAR, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AN OPEN-ENDED HOOD ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID ONE SHEET FITTING ABOUT THE SHEET OPENING AND FORMING AN ENCLOSURE ABOUT SAID OPENING, SAID HOOD HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH ALIGNED WITH THE SHEET OPENING AND DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID SHEET OPENING, THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR BEING EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE OPEN END OF SAID HOOD AND SAID ADJACENT ALIGNED OPENINGS, A REMOVABLE FILTER STRUCTURE POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOOD ADJACENT SAID OPEN END TO FILTER AIR DRAWN IN SAID OPEN END WHEN A SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE EXISTS WITHIN THE CAR, SAID FILTER STRUCTURE HAVING A GENERALLY V-SHAPED SUPPORT AND A FILTER MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT, SAID SUPPORT BEING PERFORATED TO PERMIT A FLOW OF AIR FROM THE OPEN END OF THE HOOD, THE SIDES OF THE SUPPORT BEING MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER ABOUT A HINGE FORMED AT THE APEX OF THE V-SHAPED SUPPORT, AND A PLURALITY OF RIBS ON THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOOD TO GUIDE THE FILTER STRUCTURE IN POSITION WITHIN THE HOOD AND TO ENGAGE THE FILTER FOR HOLDING THE FILTER IN POSITION. 